


a theory of wanting

by arcanamagnus



Series: Peaceful Mode [8]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Plotting, Pre-Slash, moral dissonance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23397142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcanamagnus/pseuds/arcanamagnus
Summary: Leozack has a bad breakup and starts doubting himself and his friends. An ally appears to give him an out.
Series: Peaceful Mode [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1386238
Kudos: 2





	a theory of wanting

**Author's Note:**

> this is effectively a prequel to "um olho no peixe e outro no gato", originally written at around the same time! i originally didn't post it bc i felt i was giving too much attention to Eukaris, but now it's been over half a year of just Athenia so i think this deserves to be seen

Leozack's life was an endless act of want. Lesser mechs ached and yearned — like Hellbat ached and yearned for Leozack's rank, smarts and attention —, but Leozack refused to be like that. He  _ wanted _ , plain and simple, and what he wanted he would get.

Lyzack wanted too — he knew that —, but her wants were different, more immediate. She had a bad case of tunnel vision in which all her world revolved around one thing until she got it where she wanted it. That had made her a fine investigator, like his scheming had made Leozack a fine policymaker, and it was that talent that had given them the opportunity to leave Cybertron for a place more well suited to their beastial forms. That they had wanted too — for all that they were nominally raised by the community, it had never been enough.

Eukaris brought him a whole new dimension of possibilities. They hadn't been very social creatures in Carburisia, still weren’t now, but finding the rest of their combiner had extended the breadth of their world from its tiny original definition as just the two of them. It gave Leozack a real taste of  _ power _ , and that had struck true within him.

After that, power wasn’t hard to want, and it went swimmingly from physical to political. Going from a prominent but humble position as a hunter to head of Mechanimal Control through acquiring an ecology degree was just the start. Becoming Quaestor was on his horizon, he was sure, even if Esmeral had been Aedile for over a thousand vorns and counting while Deathsaurus' term wasn’t any close to that. They needed change, and Leozack could provide.

And then came in Hellbat. He’d been a coworker at first, the database manager he had to consult with, and then unexpectedly his — _ their _ — left arm. Hellbat was clumsy and more than a little bit silly, but his knowledge was a valuable asset. The awkward attention was also a plus — really, what did Leozack want more than attention? —, and that had blinded him, for some time, having him oblivious to the scheming behind the affection.

Not that Leozack ever really  _ loved _ Hellbat, but it sure had felt good to indulge him a little. And it was infuriating to learn that his plaything was toying with him as well.

But without him there was no Liokaiser, no matter how much Leozack wished Lyzack could be an arm instead of a breastplate. And losing Liokaiser would be like losing himself — and the perfect gaggle of bastards that composed the rest of them.

And it was that gaggle of bastards that accompanied him to Beetle’s when he was far too distracted by how much he wanted to rip off Hellbat's mask and tear that pretty face to shreds.

Guyhawk had their arm around Leozack's shoulder, pressing against his side as they recounted a run-in with junior rescue workers in Antilla back when Greatshot was "fun". Jallguar sat on his other side and played with his hand, manually triggering the mechanisms for retraction and protraction of his claws, as if they were any different from her own. Lyzack sat across from him, picking through analysis results from her lab on a datapad. She was flanked by Killbison and Drillhorn, who were decidedly not listening to Guyhawk with how loud Killbison was crunching on the aluminium chips they’d ordered.

Leozack himself wasn’t too keen on listening either. He couldn’t stop  _ doubting _ — what  _ did _ his team want, after all? Apart from Hellbat and Lyzack, they didn't seem to want much of  _ anything _ . Guyhawk just wanted to have a good, rowdy time, Jallguar was lost if not ordered around, Killbison essentially thought with his fuel tank… even intelligent, stubborn Drillhorn was content in her station and had no greater ambitions. But what if that was just a ruse? Could they be deceiving him as well? The weight of his thoughts kept his gaze low, glaring unfocused at the portion of chips.

“And so she threw me over her shoulder like I weigh  _ zilch _ , and jetted us outta there like  _ I _ couldn’t have flown by myself, but, y’know, classic Greatshot. Almost miss her stupid perfect smile and stupid perfect— We didn't order this."

All on the table lifted up their gaze to check out what had Guyhawk cut his praises and curses to Greatshot's anatomy.

"Well, someone ordered it for y'all," said the server — what was their name? Serpentine? —, placing down a plate of petrorabbit legs, "Fishie over there in the counter is looking to lure out some cats."

Killbison snorted.

"Someone's sure looking to get ate tonight, huh?"

Guyhawk threw him finger guns as he laughed his harmonics into detuning. 

Lyzack smiled apologetically at Serpentine and sent them off for the moment. She then elbowed Killbison's midsection with all the might of a pneumalioness striking down a mithrabuffalo.

"Leo's  _ not _ looking for a rebound, Killbison."

"He ain't the only single cat on this table, is he? Could've been talking about Jallguar."

"We all know damn well Jallguar doesn’t top,” Drillhorn grabbed a petrorabbit leg and leaned back, “But that was very clearly just Killbison being his stupid self. No need to defend your brother’s feelings, right Leozack?”

Leozack grumbled a mocking repetition of the last part, and made to stand up, pushing Guyhawk off the booth’s seat.

“If I’m not back in a joor, put everything on my tab.”

Drillhorn started a protest on how that was not what she meant, but it fell on malfunctioning audials as Leozack made his way to the counter with his shoulders and wings hiked high.

The “fishie” wasn’t hard to find — not many aquatics hung out this far from shore —, and Leozack rudely shook out the mech sitting to his right before sliding on the stool himself with a killer smile.

“You seem in an awful hurry to die, Peace Marshal,” he taunted, reaching for the drink the mech he displaced left on the counter.

Former civil guard Peace Marshal Depth Charge grabbed Leozack’s wrist with measured strength and glared at him like he was reconsidering all his life choices.

“And you look like you enjoy pushing your luck, kitten,” he sighed and released Leozack’s hand, “I have matters to discuss with you.”

“Charming. Is it about why you’re back on the prowl after almost thirty vorns off the map except for turning in carcasses?”

Depth Charge had been an important contributor in taking down large ferals, but few outside space bridge personnel had seen him in vorns. Rumour had it the incident with the feral protoform twenty-eight vorns ago had changed him, but Leozack had not really paid attention when Hellbat explained it.

"Don’t flatter yourself. I needed your attention, I got it."

"Old habits die hard, don't they?" Leozack mocked, recalling stories of the Depth Charge of old.

Depth Charge ignored his quip, proceeding with his speech:

"You brought in a ruthless,  _ necessary _ policy regarding feral mechanimals. You weren't held back by soft-sparked compunctions. You did what was warranted, despite objections."

"Yes, I'm a terrible person. Your point?"

"If you were to be a magistrate, how far would you be willing to take that?"

"I'm not interested in making Aedile," Leozack's expression soured.

"I know your interests. You want justice and order, not an infrastructure job," Depth Charge pressed, "I ask again,  _ how far are you willing to take your policy on ferals _ ? Would you kill a feral mech who posed significant danger to Eukaris, or would that be too much for you?"

Leozack saw a glint of passionate rage in Depth Charge's optics that was as familiar as it was not — he'd never really seen it on anyone besides himself. He was reminded of the restless efforts this mech had taken to avenge the dozens picked off by the feral protoform, who was instead coddled by the community and was presently even a  _ mentor _ .

A devious smile quirked his lips:

"So that’s what you want?" Leozack reached for Depth Charge’s crossed arms over the table and grabbed his hand, interlocking their fingers, “I’d ordinarily say ‘why are you asking me, an ecologist, this?’, but I’m going to humour you.

He tightened his grip and the preliminary rumble of a roar sounded low in his chest:

“A single cybercat can be disastrous to a native community. Simply blocking them off from depositing sparks in Chela and waiting for them to die out is a fool’s solution because as long as that  _ single cybercat _ is alive, it will kill again and again, and the damage may be irreparable. Does that resonate with you, guppy?”

Depth Charge just stared for a klik, as if picking through whatever the Pit that  _ meant _ .

“Are you making fun of me?”

“I make fun of everybody, it’s part of the charm,” Leozack smiled, “but no. Feral mechs aren’t of extreme concern to me, but I am quite intent on making something  _ better _ , so I could be persuaded otherwise.”

A short silence was held as Leozack watched Depth Charge continue to evaluate him. He finally released Leozack’s hand and sighed a deep monotone.

“I guess you’ll do.”

Leozack couldn’t help but be offended by that phrasing, but firmly reminded himself that he was dealing with  _ Peace Marshal Depth Charge _ , notorious hardhead.

“I’m glad I can be of service,” he said instead, with a fanged smile, “Now, how can you help me make  _ our _ little project a reality, hmm?”

Depth Charge lifted a brow ridge, but was otherwise impassive.

“You are still very influential, despite how deep a hole you’ve dug yourself out there, and I can’t help you get your justice if I stay at my meager Mechanimal Control Department. So, what do you say? Can you help me, or do you really just not know how to hit on a guy anymore?”

“I’ll help you,” Depth Charge finally relented, firmly ignoring that last comment, “I have connections. I’ve garnered as much support as I can out in the Union and my cause has other supporters here who I can get on your side.”

“That’s  _ very _ good.” Leozack now smiled genuinely, so excited about  _ finally, progress _ . Then his comm beeped with Drillhorn warning him they were taking their leave, and that reminded him of why he was here in the first place. “Actually,” he took Depth Charge’s hand again, “There’s one more thing I hope you could do for me...”


End file.
